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Ky. Attorney General Denies Involvement in Opioid Settlement

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) – Kentucky Democratic Attorney General Andy Beshear has repeatedly told lawmakers he had no involvement with a $24 million settlement against a pharmaceutical company.

Former Democratic Attorney General Jack Conway settled a lawsuit against OxyContin manufacturer Purdue Pharma in December 2015 just a few weeks before Beshear replaced Conway as attorney general. Beshear’s administration then agreed to pay a Kentucky law firm that later hired Conway more than $3 million for its work on the case.

Beshear said he did not approve the contract. Before taking office, Beshear worked for a law firm that represented Purdue Pharma. Beshear said he was not involved in that case, but decided as attorney general to recuse himself from anything involving the case to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest.